A day in Denerim
by Elven-in-name
Summary: The Siege of Denerim from the perspective of a resident of the City. I hope I make it right. Contains some tragic features.


A Day in Denerim

Ferventis 23,31:9 Dragon

Oy, it was a great day, this morning, when I walked up to

open my shop, the modest bussines of an old man known as

Magnus Rugs, aka me.

The sun was shining and the birds were chirrping, and

chirping, and ...whatever they were doing at the time.

To be honest, I didn't pay them much attention because I was

happy the world seemed to jump with happines around me but I

still had to open up the store for customers.

See, I'm a blacksmith, with some millitary training indeed

(I served in the army when I was younger but I retired due

to a bad knee), but I mainly keep my wife happy with money

by forging things for people in the neighbourhood.

Nothing too big, an iron tooth here, two copper bracelets

there, and I keep the money coming.

I don't take big offers because, mostly, these don't exist

around here-we've a poor neighbourhood. Maybe because we're

close to the Alienage...but I'm gonna give the elves a break

on this one; they already suffered enough...and I don't mean

only what's happened today.

Ah, but I should get on with the point-my wife said I'd make

a good storyteller, but I didn't believe her, Maker rest her

soul!-and here I am.

After I set the forge alight, the first man entering in my

shop was a city guard. Gordon was his name, I've met him

before when he passed my street, where he did his rounds.

"Morning, ser Gordon!" I greeted,my voice cracking annoyinly.

I get like that in the morning, old age be damned...

"I'm afraid I cannot say it's a good morning" the man said,

worry apparent in his voice.

"What happened?" I demanded, seeing him get pale in the face

as he opened his mouth to answer.

"It's bad, but I beg you, don't be alarmed... Ah, you shouldn't

have opened your shop today, you should have stayed home with

your wife and let her cook one of her healthy, delicious

breakfasts of hers..."

"What is it, godammit!" I said," What the hell are you trying

to tell me?"

"It's the darkspawn, they're here in the city."

I froze. For a few moments I stood there, staring at him, the

last three words he said echoing in my ears. "..in the city.."

was all I heard, untill I managed to break out of it and

turn to my tools rack.

There, I picked the steel axe I kept in case of danger(like

bastards trying to steal my meager income), and went straight

to the door.

"What you're doing? Where're you going?" the guardsman shouted

behind me.

"To do something to protect this neighbourhood," I said,

determined,"somebody's gotta do it."

A while later I arrived home and told my wife Mara and my

daughter Maria what I've been told, and told them to pack

in case my plan didn't work. Then, I went outside, and saw

a group of neighbours with various tools, as ready as I was.

They were there waiting, having heard the news of darkspawn

upon the city or having seen the giant red cloud looming over

our heads-the Blight sign.

I greeted them and told them to start our plan, the defense

of our neighbourhood being put in progress.

The neighbours-men and women good enough to stand and fight-

knew we were going to fight for our safety.

Erwen, a woman with a pitchfork and a good friend of mine,

and me went to the barricade set up in the street to block off

the attackers. We had three young strong lads with us and two

beautiful, determined lasses as our aids.

Two more barricades were set up around the neighbourhood to

keep us safe, more or less. But in case any of the barricades

were destroyed, the place was already in danger.

As such, we were going to let no dark-beast or whatever

threatening pass us.

The wooden barricade was made out of logs and tables

upturned and set to protect us and keep away who tried to

breach our defense.

A young blonde watched from the balcony of her home, on my

left, acting as the one in charge to warn us of any danger.

Not much time passed before she yelled that she saw a short

ugly, bald creature running towards our barricade.

She took her bow-the lass had one from her father-and tried

to shoot the thing. To no avail, however, as moments later,

the beast growled, scratching the wooden construction, and

trying to climb it.

A grunt of pain escaped its mouth, as the lass finaly killed

the thing with an arrow through the neck. A moment later, the

fiend fell off the top of the barricade, landing on our side

of it and making the other girl with us cringe at the foul

sight and smell of the creature.

I cut off its head, just to be sure, and prepared to fight as

our high vantage girl warned us three would come. No chance

she could take out so many with her bow, judging by her first

victim...

A taller creature was amongst these ones and it climbed quicker

than the other. Then it jumped at us, I took the lead and gave

him a slash on the shoulder, then Erwen followed with a

pitchfork through the fiend's back.

It was dead in no time, but we still had its 'friends' to

deal with. They died quickly, but not before stabbing Erwen

through the shoulder, making her weapon arm useless.

And so, with one casualty on our part, we prepared to endure

another wave of attackers. And then another, and another.

After a while, I was surprised the barricade held so long.

And we resisted the attackers pretty well, too, but something

made me think it wasn't going to be that easy.

And then, after hours of fighting, one of us died. A lad-his

name was Lucas-died. And our moral with it. Because we saw

the creature that killed him not only take his life but also

rip his dead body to pieces with its hands!

And then, the barricade fell, scorched by a darkspawn mage.

We were overwhelmed quicly, and we tried to fall back.In our run

only I and the lass with the golden locks escaped- Tiara was her

name.

And so we ended up here: we're in my home. Tiara is outside

this room, trying to hold some kind of last stand. she had

to do it,for I cannot. I found my family dead-my wife and

daughter in a pool of blood. Damned description,

I cannot believe it-

I heard a scream, Tiara probably. Maker rest her soul...

I am going to die soon, I have to finish writing this down...

if someone finds this journal please remember me and my family

my neighbours, my life...we mattered. ohshitshere they come

I managed to kill one of those short bald bastards when

it came in, I struck from the dark, I did!

but the axe's blade sunk too deep in it"s flesh, adn its

friends overpowered me, sanc their blades and nails in me,

and they would have suck their teeth too if not for the man

who "saved" me. He was a Warden, Crimson Cousland was his

name. I won:t for get that, won't forget himm...

Ah, I'm writing this with my blood, with my fingers, put it

on paper, i do...

Hope you undersatnd any of this. hope

I'm dying, adn so I have to tell more, more before i pass

Maker take me, this taint burns, the wounds from the swords

of the beasts...but atleast I won;t live another day without

my Mara and Maria.

not another Day in DEnerim.


End file.
